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Hendricks becomes the new BHS Activities Director effective Jan. 2

Troy Hendricks has returned to the post as Bemidji High Activities Director, one he previously held from 1999-2003. He succeeds Harvey Crable who has retired. Pioneer Photo/Monte Draper

Troy Hendricks made history for the second time this fall when he was appointed as the new Bemidji High School Activities Director effective Jan. 2

He will replace Harvey Crable who has retired after just over six years as AD.

Hendricks is the only person to ever hold a head coaching or activities director position twice.

Hendricks, a 1982 BHS graduate, previously held the AD position from 1999-2003 when he resigned to enter private business.

He returned the Bemidji school district last fall and reclaimed the head football post this year replacing Dwight Jensen after previously coaching the sport from 1995-2001 taking his 2000 team to the state meet.

This year's grid squad also reached the state for the first time since 2000.

He succeeded Jim Mergens as Activities Director in 1999 and held that post five years, the final two after relinquishing the football job to his top aide, Jim Carlson.

He is presently the Dean of Students and Activities Director at the Middle School where he replaced retired Jon Sand.

He was one of several local applicants for the AD post along with several from the Twin Cities area.

He was recommended for the position following interviews conducted by a selection committee composed of school board representatives, members of the Lumberjack Foundation, activities program staff, administrative staff, parents and students.

Following his high school career where he was a star running back and linebacker in football and outstanding wrestler, he spent one season at North Dakota to wrestle before transferring to Moorhead to play football under ex-Lumberjack Ross Fortier and became an NAIA All-American running back before graduating in 1987.

After a year as graduate assistant, he went to Buffalo to coach high school football for five years before entering private business.

He then returned to Moorhead to complete his graduate studies and serve again as Assistant Coach before coming to Bemidji to succeed Dan O'Brien who left to coach at Concordia, St. Paul.

As a player, he led the Jacks his senior year with 48 points and gained 818 yards rushing, a 5.9 yards per carry average.

He also paced the defense with 178 points.

He participated in the '81 and '82 state wrestling tournaments topping the team in scoring his final two years after going 17-10 as a sophomore to finish second his first season after transferring from Sauk Rapids.

He finished 28-2 and 27-2 his last two years.

During his first term as AD he named 15 new head coaches, among them current coaches Don Papreck, Jeff Brown, Teresa Colligan and Woody Leindecker.

Mergens had made 17 appointments in his four years and Crable has changed 14 in his stay. His 13th was Hendricks as football coach.

"I'm delighted to be back," said Hendricks who was to work out final arrangements for the switch yesterday afternoon.

One of his big plans is to establish a student leadership program designed toward teaching students to acquire leadership skills both in sports and in their school lives.

No changes are planned in the athletic program.

"He will certainly keep the football coaching post," he said. "That's a prerequisite of accepting the AD job."

His original relinquishment of the grid job in 2001 came from the administration's desire to have the two posts separated.

He also plans to work to instill a new sense of Lumberjack Pride throughout the school in all activities.

With the conclusion of this year, he will tie for third place in longevity in the position trailing only Bun Fortier and the legendary Red Wilson who was AD for 34 years from 1939-1973.

Crable era ends

Crable came to Bemidji in the fall of 2003 to replace Hendricks who again left to take a position in private business as a John Deere distributor in Bemidji and Park Rapids. He retained his home in Bemidji during that time.

Crable had been AD at Luverne since 1999 and had been Community Education Director at United South Central at Wells and the Wells AD for four years.

He also was head football coach at Dover-Eyota, Sleepy Eye, Wells and USC from 1977-1999.

He was a graduate of Washburn University at Topeka, Ks.

He originated several sports programs in each of his high school stays.

He became the seventh AD at Bemidji since Wilson following Fortier, Jack Luoma, Ray Kavanagh, Mike Barnes, Mergens and Hendricks.